Game News Little poll on FO3 combat and perspective

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Fallout 3

Since I'm bored, and <b>DarkUnderlord</b> of <A href="Http://www.terra-arcanum.com">Terra-Arcanum</a> pointed it out to me, <b>roshon</b> posted a <A href="http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?act=ST&f=6&t=2023">poll thread</A> on the <A href="http://forums.obsidianent.com/">Obsidian Forums</a> asking people what combat type and perspective people would like to see in <b>Fallout 3</b>. So far, the results are:
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<blockquote>First Rerson Real Time: <b>0</b>
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First Person Turn Based: <b>1</b>
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Third Person Over Shoulder Real Time: <b>2</b>
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Third Person Over Shoulder Turn Based: <b>5</b>
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Isometric Top Down Real Time: <b>0</b>
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Isometric Top Down Turn Based: <b>14</b></blockquote>
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Interesting that only <b>3/22</b> would like to see <i>real time</i>, and only one would like to see <i>first person</i>. The main reason the one voted for the first person mode was because he didn't think the others would happen with <A href="http://www.bethsoft.com">Bethesda</A> at the wheel.
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[DarkUnderlord]

That reminds me, the Codex doesn't have a poll on the front page...

You should edit this news post and add one in the thread here.

 

[rasta_kid]

most people who are likely going to buy the game dont visit messageboards, and most of those who do view messageboards dont register and state their opinion.
i dont think these polls represent much, seeing as only what i'd call "the educated gamers" are participating here and stating their opinions.

 

[StraitLacedDeviant]

I think he's right, we should have a poll to see how representative polls are of polls. Polls.

 

[Ultron]

I wonder how the numbers would be if that poll was posted on the TES boards.

Grand Theft Fallout would prevail..... :shock:

 

[The Pope]

wow, 22 people sure is representative

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

It is you fagget, its means that bethsada HAS to make it top down or no one will buy it.

 

[The Pope]

fagget haha... omg u r teh roxxor!

...

silly folks

you should really stop speaking for everyone

 

[Seven]

most people who are likely going to buy the game dont visit messageboards, and most of those who do view messageboards dont register and state their opinion.
i dont think these polls represent much, seeing as only what i'd call "the educated gamers" are participating here and stating their opinions.

I believe that your premise is severely flawed. But since any proof that I have to support my point would be based in polls I don't believe that you'd put much stock in it. So I'll just comment that almost every one has at one time or another visited a message board to get info on a game.

 

[Voss]

Heh.

Any assumptions made about 'everyone' have to be flawed... simply because you have nothing to base it on.

 

[taks]

hmmm, well seven, there are only 3000 members on this board, are you saying that this is ALL of the game buyers out there?... his premise isn't flawed at all. a "hall of fame" title sells 500k units. it's pretty safe to say there aren't 500k unique posters on 50 message boards, let alone 1...

if you look over at obsidian, there aren't really that many posters that care too much about FO3 in the first place. those that care, post about FO3 and vote. the fact that there are only 22 votes makes it not a very representative sample, and the probability that the only ones posting are chomping at the bit for FO3 makes it biased.

i'm voting for the ISO, TB game, btw... but i'm certainly biased.

taks

 

[The Pope]

if you look over at obsidian, there aren't really that many posters that care too much about FO3 in the first place. those that care, post about FO3 and vote. the fact that there are only 22 votes makes it not a very representative sample, and the probability that the only ones posting are chomping at the bit for FO3 makes it biased.

there ya go

only the people that actually care - i.e. the rabid Fallout Fanboys - will vote

I don't give a fuck, so I don't vote, and I'm sure many people feel the same way

 

[taks]

well, not the only people that vote... i'm certainly no rabid FO fanbois and i voted. though i'm probably a minority demographic. i just happend to like ISO games and after toee, TB combat.

which reminds me, on a lark, i fired up MW last night just to re-acquaint myself with the combat in that. while i admit the game looks great, and it actually runs great on my latest rig, man the combat sucks. i hate usage based advancement schemes, too.

taks

 

[errorcode]

Forum boarders generally only make up 1%-5% of a gamerbase. There are exceptions, but thats generally close. Most folks simply don't care that much.

Sites like gamespot and IGN would likely have the largest number of "Hits" daily in regards to people who are interested in games, and take a look at whats popular over there.

 

[taks]

hehe, consoles and first person shooters over at IGN, right? hell, isn't quake one of the largest selling PC games ever?

places like that ARE the "teen spirit" of gaming...

taks

 

[chrisbeddoes]

Forum boarders generally only make up 1%-5% of a gamerbase. There are exceptions, but thats generally close. Most folks simply don't care that much.
.

Because I care i have many friends who ask me what game to buy.

These friends you are right do not attend message boards.

And about 90 % of the people that do not attend message boards but have net will make a google before they part with their $50.

I wonder if they value word of mouth more than the official web site ....

 

[taks]

I wonder if they value word of mouth more than the official web site ....

hehe, depends i suppose. word of mouth shot down lionheart pretty quickly, but that's definitely a case of an EXTREMELY screwed up game.

taks

 

[Seven]

Heh.

Any assumptions made about 'everyone' have to be flawed... simply because you have nothing to base it on.

I didn't say every one; I said almost every one, but that wasn't my point. The point I was trying to make is that you can say any thing and make over generalizations without any basis; it was supposed to be rhetorical. I guess I failed to properply communicate my thoughts, either that or you lack the capacity for rhetorical thought.

 

[Seven]

One more thing:

hmmm, well seven, there are only 3000 members on this board, are you saying that this is ALL of the game buyers out there?... his premise isn't flawed at all. a "hall of fame" title sells 500k units. it's pretty safe to say there aren't 500k unique posters on 50 message boards, let alone 1...

Contrast this with:

I'll just comment that almost every one has at one time or another visited a message board to get info on a game.

Notice how I said a message board, and not this message board in particular. Also note that I didn't specify why they'd be visiting the unspecified board. So YES his premise is flawed; I mean whether some one goes to a message board for tech support, to get info on a game, or whatever they're still visiting a message board (if even if they don't express an opinion)which is contrasted by:

most people who are likely going to buy the game dont visit messageboards

You may think that the "casual" won't take the time to get info on a game that he or she might purchase, but you're dead wrong; the age of gamers has been increasing, and what this amounts to is a customer who wants to be more informed before shelling out his/her $50.

EDIT: I'm also including nonregistered users as "visitors" to a message board.

 

[taks]

i was only using this board as an example, seven, because this board tends to be the "hardcore" users. his premise isn't flawed, and, as i pointed out, even if you look at ALL the message board posters/viewers, they're still a minority. i've seen the numbers errorcode states bandied about before, too, though i do not have links. remember, too (note this voss as well), rasta did not say "everyone," he said "most."

either way, regardless of the semantics we use, those that post and take the polls are obviously a minority and as evidence the last time i checked, there were 29 votes in that poll

it would be interesting to see some real numbers, btw... i'm sure studies have been done.

taks

 

[Seven]

hmmm, well seven, there are only 3000 members on this board, are you saying that this is ALL of the game buyers out there?

Well I saw this part, and I guess I mis-understood, but also of note is that I also count unregistered users as "visitors". Also I was looking at things in a general sense. So the way I look at it is that not all FO fans have visited an FO message board, but most FO fans have visited a message board (if only to lurk). Yeah, it's got a lot of basis in semantics, but still...

 

[taks]

all things considered, we're ALL probably talking out our collective asses on this one.

i'd actually rank the FO fanbase as higher participation than most... a cult of personality of sorts. a 10-20% regular participation rate would not drop my jaw in the least (all sites included)... particularly given that there's still such strong support for the game after 7 years.

taks

 

[rasta_kid]

heh, didnt expect that post to hijack the thread so early.
i do think the FO fanbase has a higher percentage of visiting messageboards, but alot aren't.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

The problem is that if Fallout fans don't like the game, what's going to happen? Fallout fans will say they don't like the game. They'll post this in message boards and those that run web-sites (like for example, Penny-Arcade) will post it on their front page.

What happens then? People read those posts and news pages. An idea starts getting perpetuated that Fallout 3 sucks. So then we have reviewers. Reviewers generally don't like to think too much so they find out what the re-action to the game is. They see a whole bunch of message boards and news posts about how much Fallout 3 sucks and they jump on board.

So then we finally get the people who google for reviews before they buy. They find Fallout 3 reviews which are based on news posts, which themselves are based on anger expressed in message boards. The review says Fallout 3 sucks. They look again, they find a lot of sites saying Fallout 3 sucks but then a lot of sites saying it's the greatest game ever.

They think about it and weigh those two up.

Now if any of you hunt around other forums you'll see three distinct types of people posting about Fallout 3.

1. The first group are questioning Bethesda. This group usually didn't think too highly of Morrowind - or even in some cases, if they enjoyed Morrowind, it's not the type of game they want Fallout to turn into.
   
2. The second group are happy with Bethesda. This group usually enjoyed Morrowind and think Fallout 3 FPS is the greatest thing ever.
   
3. The third group are indifferent. This is the group who don't care but care just enough to post that they don't care. Somewhere down the track they end up in an argument and we find out that they do care, they just don't think they can do anything about it either way so why should they bother?

So what becomes of all of this? Driv3r comes to mind. The game either sucks arse or is the greatest thing since sliced bread depending on what site you're reading at the time. So now we weigh that up. The sites that say it's great are generally overall gaming sites, the kind that sell reviews to live. The sites they say it suck are the more passionate 'game players / users'. Who do you give more credence too, the professional site or what gamers think?

Now if you're considering purchasing Driv3r are you now more likely or less likely to buy the game?

To properly answer that question, we need to think about why anyone would want to buy the game. They want enjoyment out of it. How much enjoyment? Probably as much as they can get. Presented with a shelf full of games, are they more likely to buy the game that's received a whole bunch of praise and very few negative comments, or the game that's received so many negative comments and good comments, that it's hard to say either way?

There's a reason the majority of FO:BOS reviews make some mention of the fan-base. If a game pisses off the fan-base do your really want to buy it? It also helps to think back to FO:BOS. What did we have? We had developers saying how great their game would be and how much the fans suck. Then we had fans saying how much the developers suck and suggesting all sorts of colourful things they can do with their game.

Does reading comments made by developers saying how much the fans suck inspire you with desire to play the game?

 

[Seven]

We scions of that heritage are aware of the void.

Do you believe this; he knows like we know that Bethesda can't/probably won't live up to the license, and yet he poses his position so eloquently you'd almost never realize what he was really saying. Rhetorical hyperboly at its best.